Homecoming

By Donna and Abs

The sun peeking in the window of the Esperanza clinic caused Sarah Jo to stir. The doctors had kept her under sedation until the worst of the miscarriage was over so she could get as much rest as possible under the circumstances. She moaned softly and the sound made both Duncan and Doc Adams stir as well.

They were a little groggy.  Even with Immortal constitutions, they still got hangovers!  And each had done their share of bending their elbows.

Her eyes fluttered open, and fear almost overcame her for a moment until she realized where she was and who she was with. She swallowed hard as she fought her turmoil of emotions and then managed a weak smile. "Hi guys," she said softly. "Been here all night? Or did you just crawl in?"

Duncan ran over to her side immediately.  Doc hung back a little.  His was watching her intently, but seemed detached.  "How are you feeling today?" was all he said.

"Better," she said truthfully. "My belly doesn't feel like it has a knife in it anymore. Can we go home now?" She wanted the comfort of being in her own bed, with familiar surroundings around her.

"Of course, of course," said Duncan, hovering around her as if he was afraid to touch her, she might break.  Doc had his hands in his pockets.

Sarah Jo's face fell. She needed to be hugged, to be reassured that she was still loved. The nurse, Cherry, came in about that time and shooed both men out of the room so she could help Sarah Jo bathe and get dressed.

"Men," she said, trying to be cheerful.  "They don't understand, do they?"

Sarah Jo tried to fight the tears that threatened to overflow again but was unsuccessful. She had seen it with rape victims many times before. The very common reluctance of loved ones to touch and to reassure them that their feelings for her had not changed just tended to just add to the pain. "Will I ever feel clean again?" she sobbed as she climbed into the bathtub. She felt dirty. Inside and out.

"It takes time," Cherry said.  She sounded like she'd been there.  "Don't be too hard on the guys.  I don't know about the doctor, but I *think* the dark one is just afraid he'll hurt you."

Sarah Jo nodded and wiped her eyes. She just wanted to go home and to try to salvage the pieces of her life as best as she could. After she had her bath, Cherry brought her some clothes to wear and then once she was dressed allowed the men to come back into the room.

Cherry took Duncan aside.  "She's not gonna break, y'know."

He looked surprised.  A lot of women, after being raped, did not want to be touched.  He nodded silently, having gotten the point.  Doc was already in the room, but his questions still had a clinical edge.

Sarah was picking at a breakfast tray, not really that interested in food. Duncan sat down beside her, looking at her with his lovely, sad eyes. "You look like you can use a hug," he said hopefully, holding out his arms. "May I supply you with one?" A low sob broke through as Sarah Jo moved into his arms and clung to him, unable to speak.

Doc sat through it, not saying a word.  Cherry watched him closely.  She had heard that Methos, in his various guises, was a strange sort, but this took the cake.  It was as if he felt nothing at all.

He left the room for a moment, to tell one of the men that had accompanied them from Edan to get some form of conveyance ready. She wouldn't be able to ride astride just yet, and it would be cruel to make her ride in the small wagon that she had been carried off in by Grisham. He then went back in and found that Duncan had managed to talk Sarah Jo into eating a little bit.

"You need to keep up your strength," he said.  "Your Immortal metabolism will kick in otherwise, but it does no good to starve yourself."

"I know," Sarah Jo said. She ate a little bit more and then pushed it away. Cherry handed her a small tote bag filled with extra supplies and food for the journey back to Edan. The miscarriage was over, but she would still be bleeding for a while. "Thank you," Sarah Jo said as her fellow nurse gave her a big, understanding hug.

"Anytime," said Cherry meaningfully.  Hey they both had things in common.  And though they could not work together because they each had to stay in their separate town, they might be called on one day to join forces.  It helped to forge some bonds now.

A fancy little surrey was waiting for them, pulled by a matched pair of red chestnut coach horses. A basket was sitting in the middle of the back seat, and when Sarah Jo was helped up into the surrey, she found it contained a mother cat with a large litter of kittens! 

Cherry smiled.  "From my Master," she said, petting the mother cat.  "He thought it might help."

"Oh it will! Give him a hug for me," Sarah Jo said, tears running down her face again. This time they were ones of happiness. "It was a wonderful thing for him to do. I'll make sure all the little ones have really good homes when they are old enough." She waved goodbye to Cherry and to some of the other residents of Esperanza who had stayed up to say goodbye to her, knowing she would be leaving first thing in the morning. Their escort mounted up and they all started the journey back home.

The only ones missing were the vampires, of course.  Faia, looking a little pale - at least for her - waved good-bye to the first friend she had made in Edan, and the father of her child.  She knew it was bittersweet, considering what Sarah Jo was going through, but she had made sure to get up, and not just because Methos was leaving.

Doc had decided to do the driving, leaving Duncan to sit with Sarah Jo and to keep her company. The two of them admired the mamma cat and her brood for a while, and then after they had crossed over the ford, Sarah Jo fell asleep with her head cradled against the Highlander's broad chest.

"You're not saying much," he noted.

"That's what I like about you, MacLeod," Doc said sarcastically, "you're so perceptive."

"She will think you don't want her anymore if you keep it up," he said quietly.

"I just need time, MacLeod.  I'm old.  I'm used to time."

Duncan didn't press. Something was eating at Doc, but he had a feeling it wasn't just this mess with Sarah Jo. Hopefully she would understand and not feel that he had abandoned her.

The miles passed slowly. When Sarah Jo woke, they stopped for a bite of lunch and to allow her to take care of things. Duncan offered to take over driving for a while, but Doc refused. Methos, who was tightening up the girth on his horse's saddle looked over at his younger counterpart and shrugged, wondering what was up with him.

  Doc caught him looking.  He would tell him, but he had left town so quickly he was not sure Prudence was still pregnant.  For all he knew, they had both lost their babies.  Of the two, he would have rathered Prudence abort, since there was a chance Grisham was the father, but now he had to hold on to it with all he had.

  The rest of the afternoon passed pleasantly. One of the men riding with them stopped and gathered a big bouquet of wild flowers and presented them to Sarah Jo. As they pulled into town, people poured out of the buildings to welcome them home. As Duncan saw Sarah Jo safely into her home, Doc slipped away. He had to know.